Smuggler of Shadows Book 1: Beginnings
by Kadirika7211
Summary: Set between Episodes 3&4. A Mandalorian Pilot finds herself drawn into a world of intrigue, smuggling beings wanted by the Empire out of Imperial worlds. Her partner is a man she knows nothing about, only that he has recruited her for a task she's beginning to think impossible. One pilot, one contact, and one ship is all they have against the might of the Empire. Is it enough?
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer: So just to get it out of the way, I don't own any piece of Star Wars. All I own is my character and my storyline, everything else is just being used for my own enjoyment :)_

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The Mandalorian pilot moved quietly through the crowded spaceport on her way back from Force knew where, unaware of the eyes watching her from the shadows in the far corner of the building.

He'd been watching the green-and-gold armored pilot come and go from her ship for nearly three days now, and he was becoming convinced she was exactly the person for the job. No Imperial ties that he could see, her own ship with no crew other than herself, and like most Mandalorians, she didn't seem prone to spending much time talking with strangers. Listening, on the other hand... He'd seen her on the fringes of more than one crowd gathered around a bragging spacer, telling about his newest run to some distant planet. Yet she always lurked quietly in the shadows, never offering any new information in to the conversation. She seemed to be content to keep her own council. Yet another thing that told him she might be exactly the one he was looking for. The Corellian Bloodstripes she wore on her pant legs also helped boost his confidence. They didn't give those things to just anyone, and nobody was stupid enough to walk around wearing them without earning it. Not if they wanted to live to see another sunrise.

He'd noted the menagerie of weapons she carried, from the scout pistol holstered at her waist, to the vibrosword sheathed within easy reach over her right shoulder. He had no doubt she'd stashed multiple other weapons about her person that he had yet to see. He'd even heard that the kama – a sort of battle skirt some Mandalorians wore belted around the waist – could have pockets designed to hide weapons. She'd be well prepared for the job he had in mind.

Granted, he'd feel a lot more at ease if he was able to see anything but the expressionless T-visor of her helmet. But then again, beggars couldn't be choosers, he reminded himself. And it wasn't like he was very open about letting people see _his_ face. Still brooding, he slid deeper into the shadows and settled down to wait. For what, he wasn't sure, but some instinct told him to stay put.

His patience paid off little more than an hour later. The pilot had stepped off her ship at a summons from a small group of stormtroopers, each carrying a rather nasty looking rifle. Some moved so they were facing the crowded spaceport, their backs to the pilot who was now lounging against the gleaming hull of her ship. As he began to move closer to the ship, hoping to get within earshot, he saw the leader of the stormtroopers gesturing angrily, apparently insisting that the pilot remove her helmet. Some guideline probably, meant to show deference or respect to the Empire's thugs. The pilot, however, seemed unwilling to comply. The stormtrooper took one step forward as if to remove the helmet personally, only to find himself staring down the barrel of a modified scout blaster.

The watcher had come within ear shot at this point, still lurking in the shadows and hoping the Mandalorian was too occupied to notice him. He didn't want to tip his hand just yet.

"Now, ask me again, but ask me nicely," the Mandalorian was saying, her helmet's vocoder doing little to mask the drawling mockery in her voice. She waved the pistol slightly for emphasis, but the watcher noticed it had been flipped to a stun setting. It'd still hurt like crazy at this range, but it wouldn't kill the stormtrooper. That was interesting.

The stormtrooper hesitated, then repeated his request for her to remove her helmet in a much more civil tone. The pistol was lowered and holstered, and the helmet removed to reveal a pale skinned face with high cheekbones, serious gray eyes, and long brown hair.

"See now? That wasn't so difficult." Her voice sounded far different now that her helmet rested under the crook of her arm. It was thin and whispery, holding a rasp that told anyone who was paying attention that she'd suffered some sort of damage to her vocal cords. The dim lighting of the hangar also revealed a puckered scar that sheathed the lower right side of her face. A burn scar, if he wasn't mistaken. "Now, what was so important that it couldn't be said with my helmet still on?"

The stormtrooper stiffened, drawing himself up to his full height. "Protocol states-"

"I don't care what your 'protocol' states. Or is all this just to give me a lecture in Imperial regulations?" she interrupted, arching one brow in a challenge.

"All this is to employ your valuable services to the Empire, Kadira Sal." This new voice caused the watcher to duck hurriedly further back in to the shadows. The man wore the insignia of a Commander and held himself with an air of authority that indicated he was used to being obeyed. The stormtroopers all snapped to attention, but the Mandalorian merely flicked her fingers in a lazy attempt at a salute.

"My ship and my services aren't for sale," the Mandalorian, Kadira, spoke simply, lifting one armored shoulder in a shrug.

"I'm authorized to offer you four-thousand credits for a week of your services."

Kadira laughed, the sound rasping as she settled back against her ship, arms crossed with a defiant tilt to her chin. "You could offer me ten times that and I wouldn't even consider it. I'm not interested," she said, waving one gloved hand dismissively. The two argued back and forth, but still the Mandalorian refused the use of her ship or her piloting skills, no matter how high the number of credits being offered. Her last words caused the watcher to straighten with curiosity, his head tilted as he strained to hear every word.

"I've paid my dues to the Empire, Emperor, and every other cause you can dream up. I'm not going to play troop transporter on top of it all."

The troopers turned away shortly after, and the watcher felt a slow smile curl his lips. She was _definitely _the one for the job.

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_A/N- Hoping to have the next chapter up pretty soon, but it may be a little bit :) Thoughts, anyone? I don't bite, promise, and a review would make my day :)_


	2. Chapter 1

**Present day-**

Kadira paced the small cockpit of her ship, barely registering the clanking of her armored footsteps against the durasteel floors. It'd been six months since she'd heard from him. One day he was here, saying they were done flying what he called 'training missions' and the next he was gone. Something had come up he'd said, offering her what she was sure was supposed to be a casual smile. He'd be back soon, and then they could start work on what he'd recruited her for in the first place. But she'd noticed how tense he'd been acting. More tense than was normal, even for him. She had a feeling something had gone wrong with whatever he was planning, and that made her uneasy. She'd rather be working than sitting around waiting to hear from him.

Though what exactly her 'work' was, he still hadn't told her. For six months, he'd been having her run small smuggling operations. Never big enough to be noticed, mostly smuggling supplies to small, backwater planets. A few times her Mandalorian background had come in handy when his intel had been faulty and she'd needed to improvise on an exit strategy. Sometimes it had involved shooting her way out, while others called more for intimidation. Mandalorian armor could do magnificent things in that division.

At first, she'd thought this was what he'd hired her for. Small runs, body guarding, the occasional small bounty picked up along the way. She'd actually been enjoying herself. Then he'd started talking about a 'real' run, something he said would be more dangerous than what they'd been doing now. Then he'd disappeared on some mission of his own.

"I don't know what your idea of 'soon' is, Ran, but six months is pushing it even by the most generous terms," she muttered under her breath, her helmet's vocoder making her voice seem sinister. Still grumbling, she collapsed into the pilot's chair of the ship, removing her helmet with a rush of pressurized air. Setting it aside, she leaned backwards and propped her feet on the copilot chair, gray eyes flickering over the currently inactive instrument panel. Maybe she could do some work on it, try to boost the weapon power, or even the shields. Anything to keep her mind off of Ran and whatever plans he had up his sleeve.

Swinging her feet to the floor with a thump, she leaned forward with one brow furrowed, her armor clanking slightly as she moved to study the ship's readout panels.

She knew this ship like the back of her hand. She should, after all it had taken her a good number of years and an unbelievable sum of credits to have the custom design built. It was based on an old model, one that probably dated all the way back to the Mandalorian Wars, with plenty of modern upgrades to make the already sleek ship virtually unmatched in speed. It's only disadvantage in her mind was the lack of smuggling compartments. Every inch of the interior was accounted for, leaving absolutely no way to install anything she could use to sneak her 'cargo' out under the Imperial's noses. Hopefully the ship's speed would make up for that little disadvantage on this next job, but still, it made Kadira uneasy. She could only hope that whatever Ran had in store wouldn't require her to buy a whole new ship. Granted, he hadn't _said_ they'd be smuggling anything. But he'd mentioned that what they were doing required they not be boarded, under _any_ circumstances, and she'd put two and two together. Then again, she reminded herself, he wouldn't have her make all sorts of upgrades to her ship and then have her buy an entirely new one. Whatever he was planning, apparently a lack of smuggling compartments weren't going to be an issue. If only he'd told her _something_ about what they were going to be doing.

Sithspit. So much for not thinking about it. With a low growl of irritation, she stalked out of the cockpit, muttering to herself. A moment later, she returned and snatched her helmet from the control panel, settling it over her head and listening to her suit seal. After all, it would be just her luck for Ran to comm her when she was out of reach. Her head's-up display blinked into existence, running a quick diagnostics on the ship and alerting her to a loose, though unimportant, panel on the hyperspace drive. Perfect, something she could actually fix.

As she stalked irritably out of the cockpit once more, her echoing footsteps brought to mind the shadow of a memory she had thought long buried.

She could still hear the dull echoes as she walked through the dark halls of the command post on that backwater planet. She remembered almost believing that her footsteps and the noise of the air purifiers were just masking the steps of the one that should have been behind her. She could almost feel the anger again, the tears stinging her eyes that she blinked back furiously. The remains of the fear she had felt during the battle still sat in her stomach, making her feel sick.

Kadira could still hear the dead silence when she handed in her resignation, the murmurings when the troop realized their one remaining scout was leaving. Worst of all, she still remembered that hollow, angry feeling she'd been left with when the cause she'd believed in had turned into a twisted mockery before her eyes.

Too many dead, too many innocents caught in a crossfire that never should have happened in the first place. It could have been stopped, could have been prevented-

_Whoa there, Sal, _she cut herself off, snapping her mind back to the present. _Some things are better left buried. Quit digging up old memories._

Kadira paused, looking down at the green and gold of her armor. Running one gloved finger along the colors, she recalled their meaning.

_Green, for duty. Gold, for vengeance_, she turned the words over in her head silently, tasting them for the thousandth time. She was Mandalorian now, her own dislike of the Empire blending seamlessly with that of those she know called _ner_ _vod_, her brothers and sisters. To be ruled over by anyone other than _Mad'alor_, the leader chosen by the Mandalorians themselves, grated against both tradition and pride. Add to that a number of troops patrolling both the skies and streets of Mandalore itself, and there was plenty of dislike to go around.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the beeping of her in-helmet comm. Feeling her stomach leap, she activated the comm hurriedly with a voice command.

_::Kadira? You reading me?::  
_  
"Loud and clear, cityboy," Kadira replied, masking her relief at hearing Ran's voice. "You know, last I checked, six months is a bit longer than 'soon', Ran."

_::Yeah, well… Something came up. You ready to fly? If you leave now, we can get this show rolling.::_

"Now? As in, _right_ now?"

_::Right now. I told you to stay on your toes,::_ Ran replied, his crackling voice sounded amused over the comm.

"What you didn't say was what to stay on my toes _for_," Kadira muttered. "Alright, fine. Where am I going?"

_::Belsavis.::_

Kadira's eyebrows shot up in surprise. " Belsavis. As in, the ice covered prison planet Belsavis? Or is there another Belsavis I'm not aware of_?" Force, please let there be another Belsavis_, she added silently.

She head Ran chuckle_. ::Prison planet. You're chasing a bounty, a Damon Thorn. He's been tracked to Belsavis, apparently hiding out in some caverns there.::_

"We're bounty hunting?" Kadira asked, surprised once again. Sure, she'd done her fair share of bringing in bounties, but she wasn't a career hunter. And he'd said this was something different.

_::Partly. Use it as your cover. If all goes well, we can get the real job done and get some credits out of it at the same time. I'll meet you on Belsavis and tell you our next step from there.::_

"I sure hope you know what you're doing, cityboy. I'll see you planetside," Kadira replied before signing off. She let out a low whistle, still surprised. Belsavis. He couldn't have picked a hospitable planet for their first job, now could he?

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_A/N- Sorry for the slow movement, I'll try to get it up and moving in the next few chapters :) Again, I'd love reviews!_


	3. Chapter 2

A rush of cold air swirled past Kadira as the ramp to her ship lowered, revealing an ice covered landscape. With a shiver she settled her helmet over her head, grateful for her armor's warmth as the suit pressurized. With one hand she checked the vibrosword strapped over her shoulder, ensuring it was within easy reach. As her HUD scanned the landscape, bits and pieces of information began to appear in her field of vision. One item in particular made her wince_. Temperature, -45._ Warm for Belsavis.

Of course it would be too much to hope for to have a mission on oh, say, Naboo? Or Alderaan? Somewhere with warm temperatures, pretty scenery. But no, of course not. Ran had naturally chosen one of the coldest, most inhospitable planets in the known galaxy.

"Fits his blasted personality," she muttered, grabbing a long range rifle and holstering twin pistols at her waist. Just then, her comm beeped inside her helmet. Placing two fingers to the receiver to initiate a tracking sequence, she activated the comm with a word. "Cityboy, I was just thinking about you," she said dryly, stepping out into the snow and watching the ramp close behind her.

_::Do I want to know what you were thinking?::_ Ran's voice sounded slightly suspicious, though through the comm's crackling it was hard to tell.

"Probably not," she admitted, grinning beneath her helmet.

_:: I'll trust your judgment on that. Now, I need you to meet me as soon as you can. If you can get past the landing officials-::_

"Already ahead of you, Ran. I docked a good ways outside the city." _If you can call it a city_, she added mentally. Gingerly, she picked her way around some very slippery looking ice patches. It'd be just her luck to fall and break her neck on some planet most sane people didn't even know existed.

Already her HUD had established a trace on Ran's transmission. He was about four kilometers to the east. Not a bad piloting job, if she did say so herself.

::_How do you plan on explaining that, Sal? You can't just fly on to a prison planet and ignore the designated docking areas, not without people getting suspicious._::

Ah, _there_ was the irritable Ran she knew. She'd been starting to wonder what had happened to him.

"Cool your jets, cityboy. Ever heard of the Belsavis Corridor?"

_::You took a _smuggler's_ route?::_ Now he sounded really annoyed.

"Ran, shut up. It worked, so quit nitpicking or I'll leave you here to do all this by yourself. Whatever 'this' is," she said. For a moment, the only sound was that of the snow crunching under her booted feet before Ran sighed.

_::Fine. I'll send you the coordinates to my current position, meet me there.::_

"Already got it, Ran."

_::Do I want to ask how?::_

"Not if you're worried the answer might not be totally legal. Mandalorians get all sorts of fun toys," she responded impishly.

_::Just get here, Kadira,::_ Ran replied, sounding resigned_. ::The sooner the better.::_

"Copy that, I'll see you soon."

It took longer than Kadira had anticipated to reach Ran's base, thanks to the less-than-hospitable terrain. More than once, she'd found herself having to backtrack thanks to a rift in the ice. Pity she had yet to invest in a jetpack, else she probably would have arrived much faster and in a better mood. The fact that she stepped through the cave's entrance only to find a blaster rifle pointed at her certainly did nothing to improve her mood.

"Helmet off, bucket-head," the young guard ordered, using one of the more derogatory nicknames for Mandalorians as he prodded her shoulder with the rifle.

Kadira raised her hands slowly, then snapped her arm to the side, knocking the rifle barrel aside. As the guard reeled with confusion, Kadira snatched the barrel of the rifle with one hand and the stock with the other. She pulled hard and slammed one booted foot into the guard's stomach, forcing him to release his hold. Suddenly the scout found himself staring down the muzzle of his own weapon. Slowly, he raised his hands, glancing from her expressionless visor to the rifle.

"Two things, _di'kut_," Kadira said, the stock of the weapon held steady against her shoulder, her helmeted head tilted to rest against the cheek piece. "First, don't pull a weapon on a Mando, especially if you can't hold on to it." She lowered the rifle, her expressionless gaze still fixed on the guard. "Second, _don't_ call me bucket-head."

The guard nodded slowly, and Kadira handed his rifle back before stalking into the cave. Her HUD quickly adjusted to the dim lighting, and she strode towards Ran's tall figure, seeing him turn as she approached.

"Was it really necessary to disarm my guard?" he asked, lifting one dark eyebrow at her.

"I don't like having a rifle pulled on me," Kadira answered irritably. "Besides, if he had been polite, I might not have disarmed him."

Ran pinched the bridge of his nose with one hand and sighed. "Can we get to the mission, or would you like to engage all of my people in hand to hand combat?" he asked, his voice tinged with sarcasm.

"Depends, is someone else going to pull a blaster on me?" she shot back. Ran simply ignored her and jumped straight in to the briefing.

"We've got a different objective this time, Kadira. We won't be smuggling supplies in, as you've probably guessed. Instead, we're going to be smuggling someone out," Ran explained, gesturing towards a holo-image of the planet that was being projected in the center of the room.

"Some_one_. Are we talking someone as in a prisoner someone, or an average everyday someone?" Kadira asked, setting aside her irritation for the moment.

"You know anybody average that would choose to live on this planet?" Ran asked dryly.

"You have a point. So I'm assuming prisoner, then."

"…In a sense of the word," Ran replied slowly, sounding cautious.

"Spit it out, cityboy. Who are we smuggling off this ice rock?"

"We'll be smuggling two people, hopefully. I've already told you about Damon Thorn. He's wanted by the Empire for some pretty nasty business out on Mygeeto. If we can bring him in, we can get a fairly good bounty on him, as well as lock up a dangerous criminal. Win-win, if you ask me. The second isn't really a bounty. She's… Well, have you ever heard of Alaida Dain?"

Kadira hadn't, but her HUD quickly began scanning databases for the name. When a match flashed up in her field of vision, Kadira read it out loud.

"Alaida Dain, former senator. Apparently she's rather outspoken, and has clashed with more than one die-hard Imperial supporter. She was arrested for suspicion of ties to rogue Jedi, sentenced to Belsavis… But it says here she's already escaped. So… we're not breaking in to the prisons?"

"No, we're not. We were going to, but it seems someone has beaten us to it," Ran confirmed, but his voice was troubled.

"And that's bad.. Wait, why is that bad?" Kadira asked. "She's not in the prisons anymore."

"It's bad because she was waiting for us. I've been in contact with her over the past year and a half or so, arranging her rescue. Then about six months ago Thorn broke her out. My guess is he's waiting on a bounty to be placed on her head so he can cash in on it," Ran explained. "Somehow he knew this rescue was going to take place, so he decided to turn it to his advantage."

"So we find Thorn, rescue the Senator from him, and smuggle her off this planet," Kadira said with a shrug. But from the way Ran winced, apparently things weren't that simple. "I don't like that look, Ran. That look means this is not going to be as simple as it sounds."

Ran shook his head. "That's because it won't be. Problem is, Thorn has played his cards well. The senator isn't going to be keen to go anywhere with us, because she thinks Thorn _is_ us. He followed our plan to the letter. Force knows how he got wind of those details, but somehow he did. He even has a bounty hunter with him who is going by your name."

"Sithspit. You had to pick something difficult, didn't you?"

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_A/N: Starting to get up and running :) Thoughts? Input? I still love reviews :)_


	4. Chapter 3

"You said Thorn was holed up in a cavern," Kadira said, leaning forward to rest her arms on the table holding the hologram. The image had been changed, now showing only a segment of the planet in far more detail. "Do we know that for sure, or are we guessing?" As she spoke her HUD scanned the hologram, storing all the data it had to offer while supplementing it with anything her database scans came up with.

"We're as certain as we can be with Thorn. We've tracked him through the underground labyrinths of the planet, thanks to a receiver planted on the Senator months ago. Only reason he hasn't deactivated it is because he doesn't know it's there. I've uploaded the tracking data to your HUD, you should be seeing it now." Kadira nodded once in confirmation and Ran continued. "Now, we've heard word there's a map of the tunnels. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to get eyes on it. You'll be going in blind, Kadira," Ran explained, his brows pulled down into a frown.

"I would be if I was hoping _you'd_ get the map," she corrected, touching one finger to the side of her helmet as the three-dimensional map she'd recently acquired slowly rotated in her HUD. "Transfer tracking data." Her HUD blinked, then reset so the tracking beacon now sat inside the map of the planet's underground labyrinth. "I told you Mandos get fun toys."

"I'm learning I'm probably better off not asking," Ran replied, unable to suppress the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Probably wise. What do we know about these tunnels?" she asked, plugging in a command to the small device attached to her gauntlet. When she finished, she pointed her arm towards the holoprojector, causing it to sputter for a moment. When the image cleared, they were all seeing the same underground map of the tunnels she was viewing within the confines of her helmet.

Ran shook his head wryly, not even bothering to mask his smile. "We know they're a maze, easy to get lost in. Rumor has it that there's logic to it once you get inside. Actually, one of your own kind supposedly escaped from this same maze once, back before the Clone Wars. A Jango Fett. Pity he never made the logic he'd discovered common knowledge… They're also supposed to be infested by Kretch insects," he added, almost as an afterthought.

"Kretch…" Kadira's HUD pulled up an answer to her query. "Tell me you're joking." The image rotating in her visor was that of a six legged insect with two jaws and a barbed tail. Similar to the scorpions she'd seen on some desert planets she'd visited on the Outer Rim.

"Just don't let them get close to your neck. Your armor will protect you everywhere else. I highly doubt they'll be able to sting you through armor even a lightsaber can't pierce," Ran said, waving one hand dismissively.

Kadira crossed her arms over her chest, tilting her helmeted head to one side. "So remind me again, _where_ will you be? Oh wait, that's right. You'll be here. In the cave. You know, the one distinctly lacking in stinging insects and dark tunnels. Your confidence makes me feel _so_ much better."

Ran cracked a smile before turning back to the plans. "I'll guide you from here, where I'll be running constant vital checks to make sure you're not about to stumble into a whole nest of Kretch. I want your HUD focusing mostly on larger life forms, so I'll also be monitoring for droids from here. I'm your eyes in the skies, so to speak."

Kadira nodded. "Should I be worried about taking any special weapons in?"

"Shouldn't be a need to," Ran said, shaking his head. "I'd like to send you in with some sonic grenades, as well as a couple flash-bangs. They might end up coming in handy if you run into Thorn or your copycat. Your helmet's audio dampeners and HUD should protect you from being affected by either the light or noise."

Kadira nodded. "It will. I'll take in a few days' rations, just to be safe. Who knows how twisted those tunnels will really end up being. I'd hate to get close and have to backtrack just for supplies, and I doubt our senator would be used to operating on no rations."

"And if the Kretch get hungry, maybe you can convince them to eat the rations instead of you."

"Not funny, Ran. Not funny at all."

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Kadira hiked back to her ship, double and triple checking all the power systems before she powered it up. Thankfully, the ice and snow had taken little effect on the ship's systems.

"Checking in, Ran, "Kadira said, activating her comm. "I'm ready here whenever you are."  
_  
::Good to hear. Go ahead and fly to your entry point, scans show nobody even close. I'd recommend hiding the _Vanguard_, just in case. Last thing we want is to give Thorn an escape route.:: _Ran's voice sounded more relaxed now that the plan had begun moving.

"Right. The security systems would give him a run for his credits, but I'd rather not risk it. I'll contact you once I get to my entry point," Kadira confirmed, punching the coordinates into the _Vanguard_'s navigational systems.

_::Sounds good. Remember, from here on out, no names. If Thorn has a scanner, I'd prefer he not know exactly who we are. The longer we can keep him in the dark, the better.::_

"Copy that. Talk to you soon, Advisor."

As Kadira set _Vanguard_ down out of sight of her chosen entry point to the tunnels, her HUD began a scan for any vital signs, coming up negative.

"Checking in, Advisor. I've reached the entry point and am waiting for your signal," she said, stepping off the ship and starting towards the tunnel's entry.

_::Copy, Scout. You're clear for entry.::_

Kadira took a breath and glanced back at the snow covered landscape before plunging into the darkness of Belsavis' underground tunnels.

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_A/N- Thoughts? Reviews still completely make my day :)_


	5. Chapter 4

Kadira could hear the steady dripping of water somewhere off in the distance, barely audible above her own quiet footsteps. She was moving as silently as possible in full armor, not to mention the weapons and rations she had strapped to her back. Her HUD - now switched to night vision - picked up a few small life forms, but Kadira disregarded them. Partially because Ran would let her know if there was a threat, and partially because she honestly didn't want to know what else might be down in these tunnels with her. A rifle could only bring so much confidence to a situation.

"Got anything for me, Advisor?" She had deactivated her helmet's vocoder, ensuring her voice didn't escape the confines of her helmet. The last thing she wanted was to give Thorn time to set up some sort of ambush.

_::Nothing yet. Keep going on the same path you're on. Though I recommend you avoid the next fork to your left. Scans show plenty of Kretch, my guess is a nest.::_

Kadira winced at the news and swung her rifle off her back. On second thought, she'd take all the confidence it could offer. "I'll keep that in mind. Remind me again why I let you talk me into this?"

_::It must be my natural charm,::_ Ran replied dryly, causing Kadira to laugh.

"Sorry Advisor, but somehow I doubt that."

She heard his soft laugh and felt an answering smile tug at her mouth. She slowed her steps and scanned the tunnel, hoping her HUD would pick up some sort of information. So far, she'd seen no signs of Thorn or his unwitting captive. No footprints, no scuff marks, and no smoking campfires that looked recently abandoned. Granted, hoping for that last one was more than a little optimistic, but she felt like she was past due for a streak of good luck. Unfortunately, that luck seemed to be planning on taking its own sweet time. Her only clue that she was on the right trail was the ever-blinking red dot that rested in the corner of her head's-up display.

Other than the uncomfortable suspicion that she was somehow on the wrong trail or hopelessly lost, things were going rather well. Her first real problem came when she stopped in front of a fork in the tunnel that was nowhere on her map. She turned slowly, looking from one fork to the other, hoping to see something that would point her in the right direction. She even went so far as to activate a small light on the outside of her helmet, shining the beam down each tunnel. All the while she kept a close eye on the 360 degree view her HUD offered. The last thing she wanted was for Thorn to sneak up on her from behind. Ran would never let her live that down. Seeing nothing, she shut the light off and took a few steps backward, just in case someone had chosen the small beam of light as a target and was waiting for a shot.

"Advisor? I could use some advising here. I'm standing in front of a fork in the tunnels, neither of which is the obvious route on the map."

_::Do either of them look recently travelled?::_

Kadira knelt by each fork, studying them carefully. She even went so far as to scan the paths with her HUD, but the soil analysis offered no clues as to which was the path she needed to take.

"Negative, Advisor. Neither one shows any sign of passage, recent or otherwise."

_::You may have to pick one and go from there. Go with your gut.::_

"… That would be the same gut that told me to accept your employment offer?" Kadira asked, straightening and studying both tunnels. "What makes you think I'd trust that anymore?"

_::Funny-::_ His words were cut off by what sounded like a large scale explosion, causing Kadira to duck reflexively. Blaster fire echoed over the comm, along with shouts and other explosions.

"Advisor? Advisor, what's going on?" Her words were met only with the continued sounds of blaster fire. She spun on her heel, beginning to run back the way she had come. "Ran! I'm heading back, I can be there in three minutes-"

_::Focus, Kadira!::_ It was Ran's voice, sounding strained with the sounds of battle still echoing in the background. _::Get the senator, then get out of th-::_

The transmission was cut off suddenly, replaced by static. Kadira stopped running, slowing her steps until she came to a halt. She placed one hand to the side of her helmet, but her HUD informed her that Ran's signal was lost.

"…Ran?" Still silence on the comm. Kadira hesitated, looking from the fork in the tunnels to the path that led out to the surface. She could get there in a few minutes, help Ran… And give up any chance of finding the Senator. She chewed on her lip, not liking the conclusion she was coming to. "_Sithspit_."

It would have been one thing for Thorn to come after her. She was in the tunnels with a rifle, two pistols, a multitude of grenades, and a wide range of technology at her fingertips. It would be his hunting skills against hers, a test to see who was better. It would almost be fair. But to attack Ran and his crew with a bomb wasn't only dishonorable, it was cowardly. Most of them hadn't even been carrying a blaster.

Kadira lashed out once, her armored fist striking the rock walls of the tunnel and sending a few sparks skittering off into the darkness. She leaned forward, resting her helmeted forehead on the wall and closing her eyes. Ran had told her to go forward. If she turned back now, she'd be leaving the Senator in the hands of a man who had just proven himself desperate. She drew in a slow breath before straightening.

"_Oya_," she murmured, a Mandalorian word for the beginning of the hunt. She jogged back towards the fork in the path, veering off to her left. If she hurried, she might be able to help both the Senator and Ran.

* * *

_A/N: Thoughts, anyone? I give virtual cookies for reviews! (Light side or dark side, your choice ;)_


	6. Chapter 5

Kadira continued at a steady jog, careful to keep any noise she made to a minimum. Absolute silence wasn't an option now, not when both Ran and the Senator were in need of her help. She needed to move, and move quickly. She had to veer away from the main path more than once, her HUD warning her that a large group of life forms were in the tunnel she was moving through. The last thing she wanted was to waste time fighting her way through a nest of Kretch. The faint sounds of clicking feet against the stone reached her ears, amplified by her helmet's audio sensors. So far the noises were distant enough that Kadira ignored them, but she was beginning to feel uneasy. She didn't relish the thought of the Kretch finding her in the tunnels they knew far better than she did.

The tunnel she was in took a sudden turn and opened up to a large room, dimly lit by a flickering fire. Silently, Kadira crouched in the shadows. Her visor picked up two life forms, with no signs that a third was anywhere close. Her HUD zoomed in on the two figures at a voice signal from Kadira, taking snapshots of their faces. Pulling up the pictures Ran had provided, Kadira was reasonably sure the two conversing quietly were Thorn and the senator, Alaida Dain.

Thorn was average in height, with broad shoulders and heavily muscled arms. He wore a dingy jacket and pants the looked like they were made almost entirely of patches. Kadira could see why he was pulling a scheme this dangerous. The man looked desperate.

Dain, on the other hand, was small and slight, her light brown hair catching what faint firelight there was. She wore a belted tunic and simple pants with knee high boots. Kadira touched the side of her helmet, activating a vocal enhancer.

"How much longer do we need to wait?" The senator's voice was cultured and surprisingly calm, holding the traces of a Coruscanti accent. "Surely trying to stay on this planet too much longer is more of a risk than we can afford."

"My partner has gone to take care of problem. As soon as she's back, we'll leave," Thorn's voice was rough and impatient as he paced back and forth in front of the fire, seemingly anxious. Perhaps Ran's crew was putting up more of a fight than Thorn or his partner had expected, a thought that gave Kadira some hope.

"What 'problem', Ran?" Dain asked, sounding confused.

Kadira tilted her head, glad to know Ran had indeed been correct. The senator had no idea that someone other than Ran had been her rescuer.

"A small one," Thorn answered dismissively, waving one hand. "It will be taken care of in no time."

"Your problem just got a lot bigger, Thorn," Kadira murmured, her words not leaving the confines of her helmet. She backed up slowly, careful not to let her footsteps be heard as she made her way to the side of the room with the only other tunnel, hidden in shadows. Fishing in one of the many pouches at her waist she removed a small device and pressed it against the wall, smiling slightly in satisfaction when a small yellow light appeared in the corner of her HUD. Working her way slowly in a half circle, Kadira placed four more devices against the wall. Each caused a small light to appear in the corner of her visor, blinking to let her know the charges were armed and ready. Kadira made her way silently back to the tunnel she had entered by, crouching down to wait.

Thorn paced away from the fire, muttering something under his breath. Kadira waited until he was a safe distance from the senator before drawing out one of the flash-bang grenades Ran had recommended she bring. Balancing it carefully in the palm of one hand, Kadira drew one of her pistols with the other. She opened fire with no warning, making sure plenty of shots were close enough to cause Thorn more than a little worry. Cursing, Thorn backpedaled towards the other entrance to the tunnel, drawing his own pistol and firing wildly in her general direction.

When he was within the half circle of charges she had planted, Kadira tossed the grenade at his feet. It exploded with a blinding flash of light, sending him reeling even as Kadira's HUD compensated to save her vision. Kadira sprinted forward, still firing at Thorn's feet in hopes of keeping him panicked. He recovered quickly, raising his blaster in her direction as she barreled towards him. Kadira slammed her hand against her left gauntlet, pressing three buttons at once. The yellow lights in her HUD flashed red before the charges she had set detonated, setting off five more flashes of light accompanied by ear-shattering noise. Kadira's audio dampeners blocked out the sound even as Thorn howled and stumbled forward, still struggling to see his attacker well enough for his shots to strike home. Before he could recover enough to do any sort of serious damage, Kadira slammed her armored knee forward into his stomach and brought the butt of her pistol down onto the back of his skull. Thorn slumped to the floor, unconscious as Kadira snapped force shackles around his wrists.

Kadira heard the discharge of a blaster just before a jarring pain slammed into her back, sending her reeling forward. She fell and rolled to one side, more grateful than ever for the dim lighting and the armor that had probably just saved her life. Sliding into the shadows, she twisted one arm behind her back to feel the dent the shot had left in her armor. She winced as she found it. That was definitely going to leave a bruise.

"Thanks for mentioning what a blasted good shot she is, Ran," Kadira growled under her breath, holstering her pistol and swinging her rifle down off her shoulder. More shots impacted against the wall, just inches from her helmet. Kadira jerked away, sliding farther from Thorn's still unconscious form.

"I'm trying to help you, Senator Dain. Put down the blaster and we can talk," Kadira shouted, careful to keep moving. She didn't relish taking another shot like that last one. Dain's only answer was another round of dangerously accurate blaster fire, still far too close for comfort. "And people say all Senators do is talk," Kadira muttered, digging a sonic detonator out of her pack. She lobbed it at the senator, wincing as it detonated with an ear-piercing squeal. Even with her audio dampeners, the sound was uncomfortable. Knowing the senator was probably incapacitated, Kadira sprinted towards the woman. Knocking the blaster out of Dain's hands, Kadira forced the dazed senator to her knees. Dain blinked, startled to find herself face to face with Kadira's expressionless visor. She lashed out with one fist, but Kadira caught it easily.

"You done trying to kill me now?" Kadira growled, slapping force cuffs on the woman's slight wrists.

"I'm not going back," the senator spoke through gritted teeth, glaring into Kadira's faceplate. "He _trusted_ you. He said you were taking care of a problem, but you were betraying him the whole time."

"Listen, Senator, and listen close, because I don't have time to explain this twice," Kadira snapped. "I'm not his partner. In fact, I never stepped foot on this rock before today." Seeing the unconvinced look on Dain's face, Kadira sighed in exasperation. Pulling her helmet off her head, Kadira lifted both eyebrows.

"You're not-"

"Wrong, Senator_. _I'm Kadira Sal. Your other 'friend' stole _my_ name, _my_ armor colors, and _my_ past," Kadira pointed towards Thorn, who was just beginning to stir. "_He's_ the one who you ought to be shooting at. That's Damon Thorn, and from what Ran has said, he was simply waiting until the bounty on your head got big enough to make breaking you out worth taking you back in. Maybe next time, you should aim at the _chakaar_ trying to turn you in instead of the person trying to save your sorry hide. Now, do you understand or do I have to leave Ran buried under a pile of rubble longer so I explain further?"

The senator studied Kadira's face, frowning. Figured she'd be just as suspicious as any other politician.

"How do I know you're not lying to me?" Dain's voice was low, her eyes narrowed angrily.

Kadira rolled her eyes skyward and settled her helmet back on her head. She got to her feet and pulled the Senator up, marching the woman over to Thorn. Kneeling next to him, Kadira placed the muzzle of her pistol under his chin, careful to make sure the setting was on stun.

"Tell her your name, _di'kut_," her vocodor returned her voice to its menacing state, causing Thorn to swallow nervously.

"Ran Sco-"

"Your _real_ name," Kadira interrupted sharply, prodding him with her pistol.

Thorn glared at Kadira's expressionless visor, but finally swallowed and looked away. Even the bravest beings found the helmeted gaze unnerving.

"Thorn. My name is Damon Thorn," he admitted finally.

Kadira looked up at the Senator, tilting her head to the side questioningly. "Happy now?"

Dain hesitated, glancing between the two before nodding slowly. "I believe you," she whispered.

Kadira nodded and rose to her feet, holstering her pistol. "Then let's get out of these tunnels. They give me the creeps."

The senator held out her shackled wrists expectantly, and Kadira unlocked them quickly. "But giving you a blaster does not fit into the plan, senator. I'd rather not get shot in the back again."

The senator scowled and opened her mouth to argue, but stopped as a low hissing noise reached their ears. Kadira's HUD began blinking; registering multiple life signs headed their way.

"Looks like the Kretch finally figured out we're in their home," Kadira said grimly. "Get up, Thorn. And don't you dare argue with me, _hut'tuun_. Get up or I'll leave you here for the Kretch to find."

"_Hut'tuun_?" The senator questioned, causing Kadira to look at her incredulously.

"You really want a lesson in Mando words _right_ now? It means coward. Now can we focus on getting out of here?" Not waiting for the Senator's response, Kadira dragged Thorn to his feet, shoving him in front of her and heading for the tunnel Thorn had been making a run for before she'd knocked him out. She turned and fired towards the tunnel she'd come in by, using her HUD's targeting system to take out the first few Kretch to make it through the door. Kadira tossed the Senator a pistol, shrugging as the woman lifted one eyebrow.

"Time for a new plan. Get in front of me, and make sure Thorn doesn't escape down one of the tunnels. I'd rather not have him and these little monsters at my back."

* * *

_A/N- Thoughts, anyone? Reviews make me very happy. (Fine, I admit it, they make me smile like an idiot. So pretty please?)_


	7. Chapter 6

The senator proved to be quite an asset to the escape plan. Between Dain's fire and Kadira's, the tunnel behind them was littered with kretch. Unfortunately, the living kept coming in a seemingly endless swarm. Things only got worse when the group took a wrong turn and found themselves at a dead end. By the time they realized their mistake, kretch were already blocking their only exit.

"Give me a blaster!" Thorn demanded, holding out cuffed hands. "I can help hold them off."

"Do I look like an idiot, Thorn? I'm not giving you a blaster. Stay back there so I don't accidentally shoot you. I don't want to have to drag your body through these tunnels just to collect the bounty," Kadira snapped, firing off multiple shots. She was grateful she'd kept the modified scout blaster and given her other pistol to Dain. It had no trigger, just a pressure sensitive pad that made it much easier to use with her gloves.

"We can't hold them off. There are too many," the senator pointed out, her own borrowed blaster firing as rapidly as she could pull the trigger.

"Thanks for the news flash," Kadira responded, mind racing as she tried to think of a way to slow the kretch down. "Ok, I've got an idea. I need you to keep shooting, hold them off for a few seconds more. Got it?"

Dain nodded and Kadira dropped back, holstering her pistol and swinging her rifle down from her shoulder once more. It was a modified DC-17m, first designed back in the Clone Wars. Quickly, Kadira unhooked a special attachment from her belt, slapping it onto the rifle and hearing it snap into place.

"What are you-"

"Focus please, Senator," Kadira interrupted. "Just buy me a few more seconds."

Dain didn't respond, so Kadira decided to take that as an affirmative. Reaching into one of her belt pouches, she removed a canister that fit into the attachment with a snap. She rose to her feet and brought the rifle to her shoulder, motioning the Senator back.

"I'd cover my ears, if I were you," Kadira warned, aiming at the kretch and pulling the trigger. The round exploded out of the barrel, impacting directly in the center of the group of insects with a deafening sound. When the dust cleared, there was a large crater in the floor and plenty of dead kretch.

"We better keep going. That scared the rest of them for now, but my money is on them getting angrier than before. No more wrong turns, let's go," Kadira hauled Thorn back to his feet and shoved him in front, forcing him to jog. The Senator was right beside Kadira, still gripping the borrowed pistol with wide eyes.

"That was an anti-armor round," Dain said, glancing over at Kadira. "Why didn't you use that before?"

"Because there was the risk of it bringing the whole tunnel down on us. Don't look at me like that, it was time for a gamble. If I hadn't used it, we'd be dead anyway."

Dain merely pressed her lips together angrily, giving Kadira the impression that the senator was holding back a lecture. Kadira simply loaded another round into the rifle, snapping it closed.

They were nearly to the surface when another swarm appeared out of nowhere, this one far bigger than the last. The mass of kretch blocked the exit, as if they knew the intruders were attempting to escape.

"What's the plan?" Dain asked, sounding as close to panic as Kadira had ever heard her.

"Ah… Shoot, run, and don't stop," Kadira replied, bringing her rifle back up to her shoulder.

"_That's_ your plan?" the senator asked, incredulous.

"You got a better one?" Kadira retorted. "Now plug your ears. Quit glaring, would you rather go deaf?"

The senator put her hands over her ears, but didn't stop glaring. Kadira rolled her eyes and aimed, sending another round into the mass of kretch.

"Go!" Kadira shoved Thorn forward, swinging her rifle back over her shoulder and grabbing her pistol. She fired as rapidly as she could, reloading the power cell more than once. A sharp pain in her knee made her look down. One of the kretch had managed to climb up her armor, sending its barbed tail between her shin and knee plate. Kadira fired and the kretch fell to the ground, twitching slightly.

Dain let out a shout of relief as the three stumbled out into sunlight, their footsteps crunching in the snow. Spinning back to the tunnel, Kadira slammed her last anti-armor round into her rifle and fired at the opening. When the snow finally settled again the hole was completely blocked. Kadira let out a slow breath and removed the attachment on her rifle, clipping it back to her belt.

"We still have to get to the ship," Kadira pulled up a map of the planet surface in her HUD, comparing their current location with the location of _Vanguard_. "We've got about a mile hike. Best get moving."

"You're limping. Can you make it that far?" the senator asked, frowning.

"Why, you offering to carry me?" Kadira asked, her voice sounding amused. "Come on, Senator. Let's get you off this frozen excuse for a planet."

Kadira's limp had worsened by the time they came in sight of the _Vanguard_, causing her to grimace with each step. She had decided she hated kretch, and that she was going to throttle Ran when she found him. Moving towards the ship's ramp, Kadira bent to punch in the access code that would lower the ramp.

She happened to glance up at her HUD's 360 degree view, only to see Dain leveling the blaster pistol and switching it to stun. With a curse, Kadira threw herself sideways, scrambling around the other side of the ship as the senator pulled the trigger.

"Have you lost your karking _mind_?" Kadira shouted, sliding her remaining pistol from its holster. Pressing a button on the top of the rangefinder on her helmet, Kadira waited as the device lowered over her right eye. It blinked for a moment before granting her a complete view of her surroundings without requiring her to move. Something Kadira was grateful for.

"I told you I'm not going back to the prisons. Now tell me the code and I'll let you go, simple as that," Dain responded.

"Not happening, Senator. You are not flying off in my ship. Thorn told you who he is, you heard him yourself!" Kadira shouted, keeping her eye on the senator's outline in her rangefinder.

"People will say anything under duress," the senator replied.

"Oh, like 'I believe you'?" Kadira retorted. "Put the blaster down, senator. I'm not giving you the codes."

"I'll shoot you, bounty hunter. And you know I won't miss."

"Right, 'cause my corpse is going to be so much more talkative. There's only one way you're leaving this planet, and that's on my ship with me piloting." Kadira began to move quietly around the other side of the ship, making certain Dain was still facing the opposite direction.

"Then I type in different codes until it works," Dain was beginning to sound desperate.

"Type the wrong code and you'll get an electrical shock that won't feel good in the least. After a couple of those, you'll be wishing you didn't shoot me."

"Give me the codes!"

Kadira ducked around the nose of the ship and brought her gauntlet up, pressing a button and sending a cable towards the senator. The cable wrapped around the woman's foot and Kadira pulled, causing the senator to shout in surprise as she struck the ground. The pistol clattered away from Dain, who scrambled to reach it.

"Oh no you don't," Kadira growled, yanking the cable again and sliding the senator further away from the weapon. Still limping, Kadira made her way to the pistol and picked it up, slamming it back into the holster. "And you politicians wonder why people don't trust you," she muttered, snapping a pair of force cuffs on the glowering senator. "And, by the way, you're welcome for saving your life. Though I'm beginning to think you and the kretch would have gotten along quite well."

Kadira pulled the senator to her feet and waved Thorn over with her pistol. Thorn hesitated a moment, then moved forward to stand within Kadira's view. Kadira punched the code into the number panel, letting the ramp down.

"In, Thorn." The man walked up the ramp without argument, with Kadira following and pushing Dain in front of her. "Go up the second set of stairs, Thorn. Now turn to your right. Not your left, your right." Kadira pushed the Senator into a room to the left, palming the door shut before turning to Thorn. She shoved him forward into a force cage, activating it and ignoring his protests as she went back for the senator.

Kadira opened the door and ducked, barely avoiding the hydrospanner the senator had thrown at her head.

"Ok, that's it. I have tried to be patient with you, Senator." Kadira stalked forward and grabbed Dain's elbow, spinning the woman towards the door and marching her to a small room in the back of the ship. It held a second set of force cages, and Kadira promptly shoved the senator into one of them. Activating it with a hiss of energy, Kadira leaned back against the wall. "If by some miracle you manage to get out of here, let me warn you that I have no qualms about shooting you with a stun bolt. Then I will put you back in this cell and activate the blast doors, just for good measure. Do you understand?"

Dain simply glared at Kadira, who threw her hands in the air and left, palming the door shut behind her. Limping down the stairs, Kadira snatched a medkit from the ship's medical bay and made her way to the cockpit, muttering under her breath. Kadira removed her helmet, tilting her head and enjoying the silence.

"_Mar'e_," she murmured, Mandalorian for 'at last', as she settled into the pilot's chair. She punched in Ran's last known coordinates and set the ship to autopilot as she began to tend the kretch sting on her knee.

"You better still be alive, Ran. Because I am not going to put up with that senator all by myself," she grumbled, swabbing the wound with bacta.

* * *

_A/N: Reviews? :D Please?_  
_And to my guest reviewer (Couldn't send a P/M since it was anonymous), you catch on quickly! I was hoping no one would notice how quickly the Senator had come around :D._


	8. Chapter 7

As the _Vanguard's_ ramp lowered, Kadira limped out into the snow once more. Her knee was beginning to feel better since she had applied the bacta, but putting weight on it was still painful.

"Next time _you_ get to go in the tunnel with the nasty pests and the homicidal senator, Ran," she muttered. "I'll stay behind and get shot at in the base."

She had put the _Vanguard_ down behind a rather large snowdrift that was less than a kilometer away from Ran's base. She had seen nothing from the air to even hint at what state the base might be in, making her more than a little apprehensive.

It didn't take her long to reach the entrance she had disarmed the guard at when she had first arrived planet-side. Cautiously she dropped into a crouch, moving slowly and quietly. What had been a small entrance had been blasted wide enough to fit the _Vanguard_ inside. Apparently Ran had closed a sturdy set of durasteel doors once Kadira had left for the tunnels, but they had been reduced to twisted pieces of metal hanging from a shattered frame. Whoever had invaded this place had obviously been using some pretty heavy ordinance, and using it well. Kadira swung her rifle down from her shoulder as she stepped inside, her HUD automatically adjusting to the darkness. Whatever had blown through the doors had also knocked out most of the lights. She could feel the slick ice beneath her booted feet, causing her to move even more carefully than she might normally have done. Kadira looked around, rifle pressed against her shoulder in case the attacker was still nearby. She was forced to step around more than one pile of debris, careful to move silently. The whole base was a disaster. Parts of the roof and walls had caved in, and those remaining were scorched with signs of blaster fire. Kadira could hear the few supports still left groaning under the weight of the snow and ice that was waiting to cave in on the rest of the place. All the equipment had been destroyed, either by the falling debris or well thrown grenades. Even the durasteel pieces of flooring were pitted and scarred. More than once Kadira found herself stumbling over some unseen obstacle or dip in the floor.

"Is someone there?"

Kadira spun, her rifle pointed in the direction of the voice. Slowly, she moved closer, her finger hovering over the trigger. She wouldn't put it past her copycat to leave a recorded sound to lure any rescuers into a trap. When she came around a pile of debris, she found the young guard she had disarmed the last time she was here. He was leaning against the debris, his arm cradled over his chest. Lowering her rifle, Kadira rushed closer, dropping to her knees beside him and placing her hand on his arm.

"Bucket-head…" he murmured in recognition, his eyes tracing the scars of her helmet. "She said you'd come back here. Said to tell you… tell you that you'd lost the game…"

"_K'uur," _Kadira ordered. "I don't give a hutt's eye what she said," she added, forcing herself to keep her voice light. Gently, she took his arm and pulled it away from the wound in his chest. Seeing it she winced, then reached into her belt for a pressure bandage. It had obviously been made by a vibroblade, probably a small one. Nevertheless, he was lucky. It could have been much worse.

"This is going to hurt," she warned before pressing the bandage to the wound. The young man blanched, but locked his jaw and remained silent. "Do you know if anyone else survived?" she asked, moving his hand so it was holding the bandage in place. He needed to get in a bacta tank, but she had to find Ran before she could get this man back to her ship.

The guard shook his head, still gritting his teeth. "Most… of the others were killed in the blast."

Kadira shook her head. "Ran commed me after the blast. Do you know where he went?"

The guard looked at her, seemingly trying to remember. "She… shot the others. Anybody left alive."

Kadira clenched her jaw, silently cursing in every language she knew. What kind of _hut'uun_ did this?

"You have a name?" she asked, trying to force his mind away from the carnage he had probably witnessed.

"Tyron," he said, nodding once.

"Ok, Tyron. I need you to put pressure on this bandage; can you do that for me? I need to look for Ran, just in case. Then I'll get you to my ship where we can take care of that wound."

Tyron nodded and Kadira squeezed his shoulder gently before moving away. She brought her rifle back up as she searched, though she was guessing the attacker was long gone. Most of the people she found were beyond help, causing her to grip her rifle harder. This was wrong, all of it.

A low moan caught her attention and she scrambled towards it, her feet slipping on the patches of ice that covered the floor. She spun around a corner, rifle up, only to find herself staring down at the barrel of a blaster pistol. Looking past the muzzle, she saw Ran, his jaw clenched with pain. One leg was trapped under a support beam, though it looked like he'd been trying to dig in the icy snow around it to free himself. He was twisted around at an awkward angle, his hand shaking as he held the blaster. A gash in his forehead explained the matted blood in his hair and eyebrows.

"Ran, it's me. It's Kadira," Kadira spoke, lowering her rifle slowly and removing her helmet so he could see her face better in the dark. There were no lights here that would let him recognize the details of her armor like Tyron had.

"Force, Kadira," Ran breathed out a sigh of relief, lowering the blaster.

"How in the world did you manage to avoid getting shot?" Kadira asked, moving around his other side to inspect his trapped leg. "Almost everyone else is dead."

"I guess our copycat was in a hurry. I'm pretty sure I blacked out when the support came down on me. By the time I was conscious, she was already on the other side of the room," Ran answered, his voice dark. "She must have taken me for dead."

Kadira glanced up at him for a moment before focusing her attention back on his leg. "How likely are your pants to catch on fire?" she asked, looking down at the flame launcher she had equipped to her left gauntlet.

"You are _not_ going to set me on fire, Kadira."

"I was actually going to try to melt the ice, _di'kut_," Kadira responded dryly. She stood up and put her shoulder against the beam. "Guess we'll do this the hard way. When I start to push, pull your leg out as fast as you can, cityboy. Got it?"

Ran nodded and Kadira shoved her weight against the beam, gritting her teeth as it started to inch upwards. She felt like her knees were just about to give out when Ran let out a triumphant shout, yanking his leg free. Kadira let the beam go, wincing and rubbing the knee the kretch had stung. Ran pulled himself to his feet, hobbling slightly as he walked.

"You're going to have quite the scar, cityboy. I'm sure all the ladies will think it looks quite roguish, you'll be very popular," Kadira observed, settling her helmet back over her head.

Ran lifted his hand to touch the gash, wincing slightly.

"Let's get out of this place," he said grimly, and Kadira nodded in agreement. They moved carefully, using Kadira's HUD to avoid slipping on the ice. They helped Tyron to his feet as they reached the door, careful of his injury. Kadira supported him and gave directions to Ran on how to reach the ship as they walked. Their progress was slow, thanks to their injuries and the difficulties the slick ice presented. When they came in sight of the _Vanguard_, Kadira stopped in her tracks, staring.

"Sithspit. You have got to be _joking_," she handed Tyron over to Ran and sprinted towards her ship. She rushed up the lowered ramp, taking only a moment to glance at the keypad. A slicer's spike had been inserted and left behind, no doubt in haste. Kadira didn't stop to pull it out, knowing it had done its work. She took the steps up to the second level two at a time, bursting into the room where the senator had been. Sure enough, the force cage was empty and deactivated. Another spike had been thrust into the controls and Kadira knelt beside it, allowing her HUD to do a scan. As she expected, it was Imperial in make, only issued to someone with high clearance. High enough quality to bypass the _Vanguard_'s security systems, no small feat. With a muttered curse, Kadira yanked it out and went to see if Thorn's cage showed the same signs of tampering. When she palmed open the door, she stopped short, startled to find Thorn still in his cage. He lurched to his feet, eyes wide and mouth open, but Kadira had already palmed the door shut once more.

She passed Ran on her way to the cockpit, but waved off his questions, instead pointing him to the med bay.

"Get yourself and Tyron patched up. I need to see something."

Ran nodded, seeming to realize she hadn't reached any conclusions.

* * *

Typing commands into the data system, Kadira brought up the security files. Leaning forward, she watched the screen carefully, feeling her anger slowly growing.

"_Aruetyc_,"she snarled, slamming her hand down. "You betrayed us."

Kadira stalked from the cockpit into the cargo hold. Sliding a hidden panel, she punched in a code and watched as a small compartment slid out of the wall. It was only slightly bigger than the size of a standard datapad, meant to be used to hide just such a thing. Kadira snatched the one she had placed there after locking the senator and Thorn in their force cages. She had taken it from Dain, not wanting to leave the woman anything that could be thrown at Kadira's head again.

Kadira flipped through it rapidly as she walked up the stairs and into the data room on the second level of the ship. Everything was in code, something that seemed only to confirm Kadira's suspicions. Plugging the datapad into one of the computers, she almost didn't hear Ran enter the room over the computer's quiet beeps.

"Is she gone?" he asked, his voice quiet. She thought she even heard a note of defeat in his tone.

"She's gone," Kadira confirmed, still bent over the datapad, entering commands into the computer now scanning it. "But there was an Imperial issued slicer in both the ramp and the controls to her force cage."

"So the Imperials took her," Ran concluded, rubbing his face with one hand. "Most likely an agent, judging from the equipment they used."

"Wrong."

Ran looked up sharply. "You just said-"

"I know what I said, let me finish. Thorn knew your plan, start to finish, which means someone leaked that information. Your base was hit in a professional style, a contract killing. Dain was let out of her cage while Thorn was left behind. Our copycat knew exactly where to look for the senator. Dain was also too good with a blaster. She shot me in the back, in the dark, and almost hit me in the head when she fired again. When we were escaping the tunnels, her aim was always dead on. She recognized the make of my rifle as well as the fact I was using an anti-armor attachment. She nearly shot me again when I was about to enter the codes to the ship after we got out of the tunnels. Her accent was Coruscanti, though it was faint. She's probably had some training to disguise it-"

"You were paying that close of attention while being chased by kretch down a tunnel?" Ran interrupted, brows raised.

"She _shot_ me, Ran. _Mando'ad draar digu. _A Mandalorian never forgets_._ But that's beside the point. Pair those things with the security feed that shows her leaving willingly with our copycat and searching for this datapad…" she tapped the datapad she was scanning with one finger, looking up and fixing her gaze on Ran. She waited for him to connect the dots, curious to see if he reached the same conclusion she had.

Ran let out a slow breath, running one hand through his already disheveled hair. Finally, he spoke.

"By the Force... She wasn't taken by an Imperial agent."

Kadira shook her head. "She _is_ one."

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_A/N: Thoughts? I love to see reviews :) They seriously do make me smile like an idiot. _  
_One more chapter on its way :) More of an epilogue, really :) Don't worry, Kadira and Ran will be back in the next story ;)  
_


	9. Epilogue

Kadira rocked back in the pilot's seat, rubbing her face with one hand. Her helmet rested on the copilot chair, removed so she could scan the decoded datapad with her own eyes. Ran was currently checking on Tyron, who so far seemed to be healing well thanks to the _Vanguard'_s bacta tanks. Kadira had set course for Mandalore, hoping to restock her ship's supplies on her home planet. Thorn had already been turned in for the bounty on his head, leaving Kadira considering using her share to purchase a jetpack. It would certainly make ground travel much faster.

"Interesting reading?" Ran's voice came from behind her, causing Kadira to swivel her chair around to face him. Sometimes she hated not having the 360 view her HUD offered.

"Not particularly. Most of it translates to gibberish. Imperial shorthand is my guess, probably personalized. But one name keeps popping up. A Zul Blok, along with what I _think_ is shorthand for Onderon." She saw Ran's lifted brow and shrugged. "It's in a code similar to what us freelance scouts used. Made it easier to show the coordinates of a planet without having to write everything out. My guess is that this Zul is a contact of Dain's?"

But Ron was shaking his head. "Doubtful. My guess would be a target. You don't write down the name of a contact anywhere, even a private datapad. A target," he shrugged and leaned back against the door frame. "If you're not getting paid like a bounty hunter, what do you care if someone manages to take them out first?"

Kadira nodded slowly, seeing the logic in Ran's explanation. A low beeping came from a small console off to her left, catching her attention. Kadira lifted one eyebrow, spinning around to face it. Normally, her HUD would notify her as well, especially about an alert on this system.

"What's that mean?" Ran asked, coming to stand behind her.

"That means a bounty was just placed on my head," Kadira answered, letting out a low whistle as the screen came to life. Ran leaned over her shoulder, his own eyebrows going up as he saw the number of credits being offered.

"I could buy myself a new ship with that," he observed. "A small one, granted. But still."

Another beeping sounded and Kadira pulled up a second screen as Ran paced away.

"You think _I'm_ worth a lot," Kadira said suddenly, causing Ran to turn back towards her. "You should see how much they're offering for you. Twice as much. I'm offended, really. All you did was get blown up and knocked out. I'm the one who did all the work."

"Who's posting the bounties?" Ran asked, ignoring her complaints and leaning over her shoulder again.

"Let's see… Oh surprise, surprise. The Galactic Empire. Look, we're wanted for treasonous activities, attempting to help a prisoner escape… Hey, did you know I'm apparently a Jedi sympathizer? I didn't even know there were any Jedi left to sympathize with. What?" she asked, seeing Ran's look.

"You're enjoying this," he accused.

Kadira leaned back in her seat, crossing her hands behind her head as she grinned. "'Course I am. I'm worth a karking _starship_, for crying out loud."

"You're a Mandalorian, Kadira. A large percentage of your kind are bounty hunters. You live on the same planet as them, attend the same events. Why in the world wouldn't they turn you in?"

"Because they're my _vod_," Kadira responded, suddenly serious. Her voice was almost angry at the suggestion. "My family. You don't sell out family, Ran. They won't turn me in, and the Imps aren't stupid enough to cash in on that bounty when I'm surrounded by other Mandos. They know we'd fight for each other, die if it came to it. That's part of who we are." She leaned back again, her voice becoming flippant once more. "Besides, the Imps would actually have to _catch_ me. Do you seriously think they can even come close to touching the _Vanguard_? Not to mention the fact all they have is a description of my face."

"And your armor colors," Ran pointed out, earning an incredulous look.

" 'Green and gold armor'. Do you seriously think that's going to be any help? Duty and vengeance are pretty popular themes with Mandalorians. And they have even less on you. Dain never even set eyes on you, remember? So all I have to do is not take my helmet off in front of any Imperial patrols, and you just have to refrain from announcing yourself as 'Ran Scorlo – wanted fugitive'."

Ran gave her a sardonic look. "I think I can handle that," he said dryly.

Kadira tilted her head, studying him closely. "Speaking of which… I've been wondering why Dain was after us. She got herself tossed in prison, set up an escape with you, had someone else rescue her instead, tried to shoot me on multiple occasions, nearly had you killed… But all of it was planned. Well, most of it. I don't think I was supposed to survive the caves, but that's not the point. Why set all this up? It couldn't have been easy, or cheap."

Ran was silent for a moment, his face serious. "Let's just say the Empire and I aren't exactly on… speaking terms," he said finally.

"More like 'shoot on sight' terms," Kadira observed, her mouth pulling up into a smile. "I'm guessing this wasn't your first rescue. They had to know ahead of time you'd come to get her. And for them to know that, you'd have to have done quite a few of these."

Ran nodded. "They knew. My guess is they've been planning this for a long time. If you hadn't been there, their plan might have worked." Ran nodded towards the computer screen. "I'm guessing they're trying to make sure they get rid of the wild card."

Kadira leaned back slowly, pondering Ran's words. "You're not going to tell me why the Empire wants you dead, are you?" she asked finally, arching one brow at him.

Ran smiled, but it held no warmth. "No. No, I'm not."

Kadira tilted her head in acknowledgement before picking up the datapad once more. "Be mysterious then," she said, waving one hand at him dismissively.

"You should make sure to purchase a full tank of fuel on Mandalore," Ran said, causing Kadira to glance up curiously. His smile made her narrow her eyes suspiciously. "I hear the prices on Onderon are obscene."

Kadira studied him for a moment before a slow smile spread over her face. "Sure thing, _alor_."

Ran lifted one brow questioningly.

"It means 'boss'… But bounty or no, I still did all the work."

Ron chuckled and palmed the door to the cockpit closed behind him, leaving Kadira to study the datapad. He had his own research to catch up on. The last thing he wanted was to be blindsided by Alaida Dain again.

"Onderon will be different," he murmured to himself, glancing back at the cockpit. He could still see Kadira bent over the datapad, frowning in concentration. "I'm not losing another pilot."

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_A/N: And there's the end of the first story for you :D Thoughts? Questions? I love reviews (in case you didn't catch that before ;) I'll be working on the second story, so keep an eye out :)_


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